Ethics and Good Prostitution Essay Example

Ethics and Good Prostitution Essay Prostitution: In the End, There’s Nothing Wrong with It. Prostitution is defined by Florida State Statute 796. 07 in 1994 as â€Å"the giving or receiving of the body for sexual activity for hire but excludes sexual activity between spouses† (â€Å"Legal Definition of Prostitution†). Though it has been illegalized, an age old discrepancy dealing with the morality and ethical concepts of prostitution is still a controversial topic being discussed today. The main ethical problem being debated about the profession of prostitution is if the selling of sex, something that is meant to be private and personal, should be allowed and morally accepted within society if used for monetary gain in order to pay for the necessities of life. Some question whether prostitution should remain outlawed if it just a means of profit and a way to continue to support oneself in everyday life, while others fully condemn the selling of the human body to others for pleasure. After evaluating the normative theories discussed in Noel Stewart’s Ethics, one could bring about four noticeably differing views towards prostitution, two of which will be discussed in the following essay. While the theory of utilitarianism would initially state prostitution to be moral and acceptable as long as it brings happiness and utility to oneself and greater numbers of people, Kant’s moral theory would first condemn the moral duty disturbed by selling sex, but then consequentially develop an allowance for prostitution after classifying it as a mutually respected act and not a means to an end for one person of the relationship. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics and Good Prostitution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics and Good Prostitution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics and Good Prostitution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The general principle and three concepts outlined within the normative theory of utilitarianism with reference to John Stuart Mill’s rule utilitarianism specifically, as well as Kantian beliefs dealing with the categorical imperative however, reach the same conclusion in the view of prostitution, deeming it morally ethical through slightly different thought and ideological processes. â€Å"Utilitarianism gets its name from the word ‘utility’, which means happiness rather than usefulness† (Stewart 13). When viewed from a utilitarian point of view, prostitution can been seen as an act to bring about money and in turn, happiness, from the ability to support oneself without the heavy reliance on outside influences. Good prostitution would require a certain skill level to create a good living through it; this skill would instill self-worth for prostitutes and a sense of satisfaction with themselves and their abilities. All three concepts of utilitarianism an be applied to the act of prostitution to provide evidence as to why a utilitarian would view prostitution as acceptable. Utilitarianism states â€Å"that it’s the results or consequences of the action that count in deciding whether it’s right† (Stewart 13). The results of prostitution can be summed into two things: monetary benefits for the prostitution and satisfaction for the client, both of which are needed within life. Humans have always traded whatever they had in exchange for something they needed,† proving that prostitution has never truly created an immoral or unjustifiable situation which needed to be illegalized (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). Utilitarianism also â€Å"holds that happiness/utility is good in itself . . . . So things such as money, power, friendship and so on are only instrumental goods,† meaning that using prostitution as an â€Å"instrumental good† is morally viable so long as it brings about happiness and utility (Stewart 13). Sydney Biddle Barrows, perhaps better known to millions as the ‘Mayflower Madam,’ found herself moonlighting as a phone girl at an escort service . . . less than a year later she opened up her own agency,† proving that prostitutes do find utility and happiness from their professions (â€Å"Is It Wrong†). The third and final concept of utilitarianism states that â€Å"the principle of utility is the most fundamental moral principle†; this principle says â€Å"You sho uld always try to bring about ‘the greatest happiness of the greatest number’† (Stewart 13). Prostitution would follow right along this principle if legalized for the pure fact that prostitutes would bring happiness to themselves as well as the several clients who currently hide their acts and desires for this profession. All three noted types of utilitarian theories find prostitution to be morally just. With a specification to Mill’s utilitarianism, most realize that there are certain health issues that would need to be addressed and limited by rules, as outlined by Mill’s â€Å"rule utilitarianism† (Stewart 23-33). Prostitution would have to be regulated,† in ways such as â€Å"’closely monitoring a prostitute’s health, rigorously training the prostitute, imposing strict standards for conduct while at work, and monitoring client contact to assure quality and efficiency of service,† which would in turn be viewed by people as a base for which rule utilitarianism could be applied as another factor of proving prostitution as acce ptable and moral (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). Jeremy Bentham, the mind behind act tilitarianism states that, â€Å"Pleasure is therefore always good, and happiness consists of having pleasurable experiences† (Stewart 15). Prostitution brings pleasure to both the prostitute and their client: monetary and mental pleasure for the prostitute and sexual pleasure for the client. It has even been found that â€Å"97% of house-prostitutes like themselves more after than before becoming prostitutes,† proving the happiness gained by prostitutes in their profession (â€Å"Prostitution Should Be Legal†). Finally, there are the concepts of preference utilitarianism, which also finds prostitution to be morally just. In this form of utilitarianism you act so as to satisfy the greatest number of preferences in the greatest number of people† (Stewart 33). Polls conclude that a promising 83% of people want prostitution to be legalized and 3% have no pr eference, leaving less than 15% of people who want prostitution to remain outlawed (â€Å"Prostitution Should Be Legal†). There is more than enough evidence that can be found to not only parallel utilitarianism in finding prostitution morally just, but also show popular desire for the profession. Though Immanuel Kant â€Å"argue[s] against the stern laws of duty and their validity, or at least [thinks] to place their purity . . . in doubt,† everything within his deontological theory finds prostitution completely permissible and moral (Kant 21). Kant’s moral theory focuses on the categorical imperative; the categorical imperative â€Å"distinguishes between right and wrong actions by universalizing the action’s maxim and seeing if this can be done consistently† (Stewart 36). This test of whether things are right or wrong is broken into two formulations, through both of which prostitution can be found as moral and acceptable. The first is the â€Å"formula of universal law, which states ‘Act only on those maxims which you can will to be universal laws’† (Stewart 37). This being stated, prostitution has the ability to be conducted in a manner willed to be universal law because of its nature as a relationship as opposed to an uneven take but do not give balance. When prostitution is compared to other professions, â€Å"it is arguable that there are many possible jobs which no one should have to do merely to survive,† as well as that of prostitution (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). All jobs are needed in an individual’s life in order to survive: to buy food, to pay for a place to live, to provide and support families, etc. Just as teachers are paid for teaching, bank tellers are paid for banking, and car services are paid for transportation, prostitutes are paid for sex. These relationships are all equal in their give-take balance, yet only prostitution is found illegal for some unjust reason. These relationships tie into the second formulation of the categorical imperative; â€Å"the formula of ends, which states, â€Å"Always treat other persons as ends in themselves and never only as means’† (Stewart 37). When it comes to the selling of sex, â€Å"both sides [of] the relationship [are] merely a means to a private end,† where the relationship is a means to a private end, and not the prostitute or client themselves (Primoratz 161). These relationships are respectful and mutual, allowing them to be found moral and accept by Kant’s moral theory. Professor of Economics Tyler Cowen has written numerous books which emphasize the necessary ties between these fields in order for society to strive (â€Å"Is It Wrong†). So although prostitution is interpreted to be a distasteful and unsanitary profession, it is not much different in its relations and purposes from many other necessary jobs, therefore it is not morally wrong. Contrary to the assumptions that prostitution is a crime-related field dealing with just drugs, sex and money, prostitutes use the monetary gain of selling sex by means of prostitution to â€Å"encompass such an incredibly broad range of ideas,† making it impossible to say that most if not all prostitution is acted about for a certain reason involving one’s needs in life (â€Å"Is It Wrong†). The motivations for prostitution can range from helping a medical student pay for graduate school to supplementing the income of a mother just getting by on supporting and feeding her children; the situations that this profession could serve to help are impossible to estimate on a grand scale. Most of the negative views towards the profession of prostitution developed only when feminists began to look at it as an abuse to women and sex. When this evolved, prostitution became crime-associated and soon after, outlawed in almost every state. Media and the general crowd alike associated â€Å"verbs‘fuck’, ‘screw’, ‘have’ . . . metaphorically to indicate deceiving, taking advantage of, [and/or] harming someone† (Primoratz 180). If it was not for such a farfetched interpretation of an act that was meant to be a profession for monetary gain, prostitution would still be a prospering field today. Prostitution was not as frowned upon until it had a onnotation of being crime-based by media and laws that do not fully grasp the potential and purpose of moral prostitution. After reviewing the normative theories of utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics, it is seen that prostitution should be legalized with regulation because it is moral and acceptable under these theories. Prostitution is the world’s oldest profession, meaning it has been desired and acted upon as a means of surviva l since the human race learned how to use trade for their benefit. Of all arguments against prostitution, â€Å"None effectively counters the notion that if peoples are allowed to see their bodies in so many other ways in order to earn money, then they should be allowed to sell their bodies sexually in order to earn money† (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). Utilitarianism emphasizes this statement by explaining prostitution as a way of achieving what one needs, providing a service, and finding a deeper sense of happiness and self worth. Furthermore, Kantian ethics states that if there is a mutually respectful relationship and if people themselves are not being used as a means to an end without adequate compensation, prostitution is moral and acceptable within society. Philosopher Igor Primoratz argues, â€Å"It has been pointed out time and again that there is no morally significant difference between the common prostitute and the spouse in what used to be called a marriage of convenience,† which, if being paralleled to prostitution, should be illegal as well (160). This is not the case; marriages of convenience are not illegal, nor should prostitution be. Edward Tabash writes in Freedom USA, â€Å"If we, as a society, really care about women, we will not only provide them with equal rights and opportunity, but we will stop turning some of them into criminals merely because they have chosen to exchange sex for money† (â€Å"Legalizing Prostitution†). Prostitution is an act which is used specifically for the bettering of a person’s life; after looking over two normative theories and finding evidence that this profession is moral and acceptable, there is no reason why it should be seen as a moral problem with the right regulations and health precautions. Works Cited â€Å"Is It Wrong To Pay For Sex? † NPR. Chip Walters All Things Human. PBS, 29 Apr. 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2009. Kant, Immanuel. Fundamental Principles Of The Metaphysic Of Morals. Kessinger, 2004. Print. â€Å"Legal Definition of Prostitution. †Ã‚  The Lectric Law Librarys Lexicon. Lectric Law Library. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Legalizing Prostitution. † About. com. The New York Times Company, 24 Jan. 2004. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. Primoratz, Igor. â€Å"Whats Wrong with Prostitution? Philosophy. Vol. 68. Cambridge UP, 1993. 159-82. Ser. 264. JSTOR. Web. 27 Oct. 2009.  http://www. jstor. org/stable/3751160  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prostitution Should Be Legal: The Statistics Prove It. † Kuro5hin. Web. 18 Nov. 2009. â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution: Sex Sells, But Should Sex Be Sold? † About. com. The New York Times Company. Web. 30 Oct. 2009. Stewart, Noel. Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy. Malden, MA: Polity, 2009. Print. Ethics and Good Prostitution Essay Example Ethics and Good Prostitution Paper Prostitution: In the End, There’s Nothing Wrong with It. Prostitution is defined by Florida State Statute 796. 07 in 1994 as â€Å"the giving or receiving of the body for sexual activity for hire but excludes sexual activity between spouses† (â€Å"Legal Definition of Prostitution†). Though it has been illegalized, an age old discrepancy dealing with the morality and ethical concepts of prostitution is still a controversial topic being discussed today. The main ethical problem being debated about the profession of prostitution is if the selling of sex, something that is meant to be private and personal, should be allowed and morally accepted within society if used for monetary gain in order to pay for the necessities of life. Some question whether prostitution should remain outlawed if it just a means of profit and a way to continue to support oneself in everyday life, while others fully condemn the selling of the human body to others for pleasure. After evaluating the normative theories discussed in Noel Stewart’s Ethics, one could bring about four noticeably differing views towards prostitution, two of which will be discussed in the following essay. While the theory of utilitarianism would initially state prostitution to be moral and acceptable as long as it brings happiness and utility to oneself and greater numbers of people, Kant’s moral theory would first condemn the moral duty disturbed by selling sex, but then consequentially develop an allowance for prostitution after classifying it as a mutually respected act and not a means to an end for one person of the relationship. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics and Good Prostitution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics and Good Prostitution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics and Good Prostitution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The general principle and three concepts outlined within the normative theory of utilitarianism with reference to John Stuart Mill’s rule utilitarianism specifically, as well as Kantian beliefs dealing with the categorical imperative however, reach the same conclusion in the view of prostitution, deeming it morally ethical through slightly different thought and ideological processes. â€Å"Utilitarianism gets its name from the word ‘utility’, which means happiness rather than usefulness† (Stewart 13). When viewed from a utilitarian point of view, prostitution can been seen as an act to bring about money and in turn, happiness, from the ability to support oneself without the heavy reliance on outside influences. Good prostitution would require a certain skill level to create a good living through it; this skill would instill self-worth for prostitutes and a sense of satisfaction with themselves and their abilities. All three concepts of utilitarianism an be applied to the act of prostitution to provide evidence as to why a utilitarian would view prostitution as acceptable. Utilitarianism states â€Å"that it’s the results or consequences of the action that count in deciding whether it’s right† (Stewart 13). The results of prostitution can be summed into two things: monetary benefits for the prostitution and satisfaction for the client, both of which are needed within life. Humans have always traded whatever they had in exchange for something they needed,† proving that prostitution has never truly created an immoral or unjustifiable situation which needed to be illegalized (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). Utilitarianism also â€Å"holds that happiness/utility is good in itself . . . . So things such as money, power, friendship and so on are only instrumental goods,† meaning that using prostitution as an â€Å"instrumental good† is morally viable so long as it brings about happiness and utility (Stewart 13). Sydney Biddle Barrows, perhaps better known to millions as the ‘Mayflower Madam,’ found herself moonlighting as a phone girl at an escort service . . . less than a year later she opened up her own agency,† proving that prostitutes do find utility and happiness from their professions (â€Å"Is It Wrong†). The third and final concept of utilitarianism states that â€Å"the principle of utility is the most fundamental moral principle†; this principle says â€Å"You sho uld always try to bring about ‘the greatest happiness of the greatest number’† (Stewart 13). Prostitution would follow right along this principle if legalized for the pure fact that prostitutes would bring happiness to themselves as well as the several clients who currently hide their acts and desires for this profession. All three noted types of utilitarian theories find prostitution to be morally just. With a specification to Mill’s utilitarianism, most realize that there are certain health issues that would need to be addressed and limited by rules, as outlined by Mill’s â€Å"rule utilitarianism† (Stewart 23-33). Prostitution would have to be regulated,† in ways such as â€Å"’closely monitoring a prostitute’s health, rigorously training the prostitute, imposing strict standards for conduct while at work, and monitoring client contact to assure quality and efficiency of service,† which would in turn be viewed by people as a base for which rule utilitarianism could be applied as another factor of proving prostitution as acce ptable and moral (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). Jeremy Bentham, the mind behind act tilitarianism states that, â€Å"Pleasure is therefore always good, and happiness consists of having pleasurable experiences† (Stewart 15). Prostitution brings pleasure to both the prostitute and their client: monetary and mental pleasure for the prostitute and sexual pleasure for the client. It has even been found that â€Å"97% of house-prostitutes like themselves more after than before becoming prostitutes,† proving the happiness gained by prostitutes in their profession (â€Å"Prostitution Should Be Legal†). Finally, there are the concepts of preference utilitarianism, which also finds prostitution to be morally just. In this form of utilitarianism you act so as to satisfy the greatest number of preferences in the greatest number of people† (Stewart 33). Polls conclude that a promising 83% of people want prostitution to be legalized and 3% have no pr eference, leaving less than 15% of people who want prostitution to remain outlawed (â€Å"Prostitution Should Be Legal†). There is more than enough evidence that can be found to not only parallel utilitarianism in finding prostitution morally just, but also show popular desire for the profession. Though Immanuel Kant â€Å"argue[s] against the stern laws of duty and their validity, or at least [thinks] to place their purity . . . in doubt,† everything within his deontological theory finds prostitution completely permissible and moral (Kant 21). Kant’s moral theory focuses on the categorical imperative; the categorical imperative â€Å"distinguishes between right and wrong actions by universalizing the action’s maxim and seeing if this can be done consistently† (Stewart 36). This test of whether things are right or wrong is broken into two formulations, through both of which prostitution can be found as moral and acceptable. The first is the â€Å"formula of universal law, which states ‘Act only on those maxims which you can will to be universal laws’† (Stewart 37). This being stated, prostitution has the ability to be conducted in a manner willed to be universal law because of its nature as a relationship as opposed to an uneven take but do not give balance. When prostitution is compared to other professions, â€Å"it is arguable that there are many possible jobs which no one should have to do merely to survive,† as well as that of prostitution (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). All jobs are needed in an individual’s life in order to survive: to buy food, to pay for a place to live, to provide and support families, etc. Just as teachers are paid for teaching, bank tellers are paid for banking, and car services are paid for transportation, prostitutes are paid for sex. These relationships are all equal in their give-take balance, yet only prostitution is found illegal for some unjust reason. These relationships tie into the second formulation of the categorical imperative; â€Å"the formula of ends, which states, â€Å"Always treat other persons as ends in themselves and never only as means’† (Stewart 37). When it comes to the selling of sex, â€Å"both sides [of] the relationship [are] merely a means to a private end,† where the relationship is a means to a private end, and not the prostitute or client themselves (Primoratz 161). These relationships are respectful and mutual, allowing them to be found moral and accept by Kant’s moral theory. Professor of Economics Tyler Cowen has written numerous books which emphasize the necessary ties between these fields in order for society to strive (â€Å"Is It Wrong†). So although prostitution is interpreted to be a distasteful and unsanitary profession, it is not much different in its relations and purposes from many other necessary jobs, therefore it is not morally wrong. Contrary to the assumptions that prostitution is a crime-related field dealing with just drugs, sex and money, prostitutes use the monetary gain of selling sex by means of prostitution to â€Å"encompass such an incredibly broad range of ideas,† making it impossible to say that most if not all prostitution is acted about for a certain reason involving one’s needs in life (â€Å"Is It Wrong†). The motivations for prostitution can range from helping a medical student pay for graduate school to supplementing the income of a mother just getting by on supporting and feeding her children; the situations that this profession could serve to help are impossible to estimate on a grand scale. Most of the negative views towards the profession of prostitution developed only when feminists began to look at it as an abuse to women and sex. When this evolved, prostitution became crime-associated and soon after, outlawed in almost every state. Media and the general crowd alike associated â€Å"verbs‘fuck’, ‘screw’, ‘have’ . . . metaphorically to indicate deceiving, taking advantage of, [and/or] harming someone† (Primoratz 180). If it was not for such a farfetched interpretation of an act that was meant to be a profession for monetary gain, prostitution would still be a prospering field today. Prostitution was not as frowned upon until it had a onnotation of being crime-based by media and laws that do not fully grasp the potential and purpose of moral prostitution. After reviewing the normative theories of utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics, it is seen that prostitution should be legalized with regulation because it is moral and acceptable under these theories. Prostitution is the world’s oldest profession, meaning it has been desired and acted upon as a means of surviva l since the human race learned how to use trade for their benefit. Of all arguments against prostitution, â€Å"None effectively counters the notion that if peoples are allowed to see their bodies in so many other ways in order to earn money, then they should be allowed to sell their bodies sexually in order to earn money† (â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution†). Utilitarianism emphasizes this statement by explaining prostitution as a way of achieving what one needs, providing a service, and finding a deeper sense of happiness and self worth. Furthermore, Kantian ethics states that if there is a mutually respectful relationship and if people themselves are not being used as a means to an end without adequate compensation, prostitution is moral and acceptable within society. Philosopher Igor Primoratz argues, â€Å"It has been pointed out time and again that there is no morally significant difference between the common prostitute and the spouse in what used to be called a marriage of convenience,† which, if being paralleled to prostitution, should be illegal as well (160). This is not the case; marriages of convenience are not illegal, nor should prostitution be. Edward Tabash writes in Freedom USA, â€Å"If we, as a society, really care about women, we will not only provide them with equal rights and opportunity, but we will stop turning some of them into criminals merely because they have chosen to exchange sex for money† (â€Å"Legalizing Prostitution†). Prostitution is an act which is used specifically for the bettering of a person’s life; after looking over two normative theories and finding evidence that this profession is moral and acceptable, there is no reason why it should be seen as a moral problem with the right regulations and health precautions. Works Cited â€Å"Is It Wrong To Pay For Sex? † NPR. Chip Walters All Things Human. PBS, 29 Apr. 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2009. Kant, Immanuel. Fundamental Principles Of The Metaphysic Of Morals. Kessinger, 2004. Print. â€Å"Legal Definition of Prostitution. †Ã‚  The Lectric Law Librarys Lexicon. Lectric Law Library. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. â€Å"Legalizing Prostitution. † About. com. The New York Times Company, 24 Jan. 2004. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. Primoratz, Igor. â€Å"Whats Wrong with Prostitution? Philosophy. Vol. 68. Cambridge UP, 1993. 159-82. Ser. 264. JSTOR. Web. 27 Oct. 2009.  http://www. jstor. org/stable/3751160  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prostitution Should Be Legal: The Statistics Prove It. † Kuro5hin. Web. 18 Nov. 2009. â€Å"Sexual Autonomy amp; Prostitution: Sex Sells, But Should Sex Be Sold? † About. com. The New York Times Company. Web. 30 Oct. 2009. Stewart, Noel. Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy. Malden, MA: Polity, 2009. Print.

Free Essays on Overweight In America

Overweight in America How many hit movies have had overweight people play the starring role? How many ads in the personals request heavy men or women? What newspaper articles describe fat women as â€Å"beautiful†? The answer is close to none. W. Charisse Goodman, the author of the 1995 The Invisible Woman: Confronting Weight Prejudice in America. Her thesis is that â€Å"American society tolerates and even encourages prejudice against people, especially women, who are not thin.† The chapter being analyzed here, â€Å"One Picture Is Worth a Thousand Diets†, she discusses the ways in which the media make invisible or deal with disregard women whom are overweight. This depicts the nation’s values when it comes to overweight people. It does, however, spark emotions due to her examples and word choices. In Goodman’s first paragraph, she blames the mass media for encouraging people to â€Å"absorb as many goods as possible far beyond the saturation point.† (Lunsford, 408) She states that people believe the more have, the sexier and more successful they will be. However, when a woman is perceived as being too fat, she finds that she has committed a â€Å"social crime†. She also argues that thinner women are portrayed as sexier, happier, and more dynamic. (409) Even though this principle may not be acceptable, she makes conscious cases for it in the rest of the article. Goodman claims that movies not only lack heavy women, but that heavy men are not as severely criticized for their weight. She states that people consider size in a man a sign of his physical power. She makes a good point when she asks the rhetorical question, â€Å"can anyone imagine a female version of Cheers’ Norm – a lazy, work phobic, beer-guzzling woman who assiduously avoids home and husband – being hailed as funny, let alone ‘beloved’, as one news article put it?† (410) This article has inartistic appeal because it uses facts and evidence. Goodman randomly... Free Essays on Overweight In America Free Essays on Overweight In America Overweight in America How many hit movies have had overweight people play the starring role? How many ads in the personals request heavy men or women? What newspaper articles describe fat women as â€Å"beautiful†? The answer is close to none. W. Charisse Goodman, the author of the 1995 The Invisible Woman: Confronting Weight Prejudice in America. Her thesis is that â€Å"American society tolerates and even encourages prejudice against people, especially women, who are not thin.† The chapter being analyzed here, â€Å"One Picture Is Worth a Thousand Diets†, she discusses the ways in which the media make invisible or deal with disregard women whom are overweight. This depicts the nation’s values when it comes to overweight people. It does, however, spark emotions due to her examples and word choices. In Goodman’s first paragraph, she blames the mass media for encouraging people to â€Å"absorb as many goods as possible far beyond the saturation point.† (Lunsford, 408) She states that people believe the more have, the sexier and more successful they will be. However, when a woman is perceived as being too fat, she finds that she has committed a â€Å"social crime†. She also argues that thinner women are portrayed as sexier, happier, and more dynamic. (409) Even though this principle may not be acceptable, she makes conscious cases for it in the rest of the article. Goodman claims that movies not only lack heavy women, but that heavy men are not as severely criticized for their weight. She states that people consider size in a man a sign of his physical power. She makes a good point when she asks the rhetorical question, â€Å"can anyone imagine a female version of Cheers’ Norm – a lazy, work phobic, beer-guzzling woman who assiduously avoids home and husband – being hailed as funny, let alone ‘beloved’, as one news article put it?† (410) This article has inartistic appeal because it uses facts and evidence. Goodman randomly...

Accounting and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Accounting and Society - Essay Example In contrast, conventional approaches to regulating the environment characteristically force entities to implement the same pollution control strategies, irrespective of the relative costs to the entities. This can be expensive and equally counterproductive since, although, the approach succeeds in limiting emissions, the attainment of the results is in an unjustifiably pricey way (Oates, Paul and Albert 1989, p.1233). Non-market-based approaches offer minimal or no incentive whatsoever to do better than what the law demands, or no room to develop and experiment with new technology and equipment that might yield enhanced improvement in pollution control (Hahn and Stavins 1991, p.2). The net result in this case is a drag on productivity and criticisms regarding regulatory inefficiency, all of which undermine commitment to attainment of environmental gains. This observation shapes the call for regulation based on free-market and pro-regulatory approach as it delivers more gains to the society as a whole. Economists criticize non-market-based approaches approach to regulation by citing its costliness and rigidity (Driesen 2003, p.137). From late 1980s, market based instruments for environmental regulation gained prominence such as emissions trading programs. Australia Government’s response has been no different as espoused by its creation of pricing mechanism for carbon and fresh regulatory rep orting requirements centring on greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and production. The Australian government announced plans to replace the $15 per tonne carbon price floor with the introduction of the new carbon price in July 2012, in which the biggest polluters pay $23 per tonne for the carbon emitted (CO2-e). Australia plans to link its carbon pricing system with the European Union Emissions Trading Systems (EU) from July 2015. The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme (NGERS) that commenced on July 2008 seeks to herald a solitary national reporting framework for constitutional corporations that bear significant greenhouse gas emissions right from energy consumption to energy production. Non Market-based Approaches: Traditional Command-and-Control A prescriptive regulation infers a policy that stipulates how much pollution an entity can emit, and/or what forms of control equipment it must utilize to satisfy those requirements. Such a standard is defined in te rms of a source-level emissions rate. The main idea behind command-and-control rests in the fact that regulated entities are awarded minimal discretion in their pollution control efforts. Command-and-control approach covers a broad range of regulations manifesting varying degrees of flexibility and cost savings (Stewart 1992, p.547). In such circumstances, aggregate emissions will hinge on the number of polluters plus the output of each polluter. The prescriptive standard does not allow for reallocation of abatement activities as each entity may be still expected to attain a certain emissions standard (Stewart 1992, p.548). Hence, whereas pollution may be minimized to the desired level, it is often attained at a higher cost under a prescriptive approach. Performance-based standards A technology standard infers one that stipulates certain actions with minimal or no flexibility to adopt other actions that might yield the same environmental outcome. The focus on process or technology i nstead of the environmental outcome is what predominantly characterizes a technology standard. Conversely, performance standards highlight pollution or environmental quality and hence enable regulated sources some scale of

American desire to modernise third world countries fuelled the Vietnam Research Paper

American desire to modernise third world countries fuelled the Vietnam war - Research Paper Example Therefore third world countries such as Vietnam rebelled because it needed more freedom and political independence (Darby 2007). Mark Berger, in his article: â€Å"Decolonisation, modernization and nation building† explains that the US fused pacification and modernization theory in its search for the appropriate combination of civil and security reforms in the hamlets of Vietnam. The US sought a coherent plan to jumpstart the economic and social development in Vietnam. The military was perceived to play a major role in modernization and pacification. This was because the US believed that security was a precondition for growth and sustained development (Escobar 2005). As such, the US built and strengthened the Vietnamese army over the period of modernization and economic intervention. The army was trained in US military bases on how to keep peace and fight insecurities in all areas of the country. The US combined efforts with the United Nations Security Council in strengthening the army. This resulted in capable armed forces that kept the country secure. With time, the Vietnamese army became powerful and needed to gain autonomy from the US policies and intervention. The army manufactured its own military weapons and was able to fund its own programs. This made it easy to wage the Vietnam War and resist US imperialism. The article further argues that modernization theory gained policy and academic prominence in Vietnam.

California History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

California History - Essay Example History provides a glimpse of the diversity of California's inhabitants, including the Native Americans, Chinese and Japanese. Several cultures prevail in the land and throughout the history of California different government had attempted to subdue its original people. Let us consider the succession of the most famous explorations in California. Prehistoricinhabitants of California practiced complex religions, hunted with arrowheads made of flint, and subsisted largely on the abundant available acorns supplemented by numerous small animals; coastal peoples ate fish and shellfish. Indigenous Californians often lived in small communities of about 150 people. This was the setting when the Europeans first set foot in California. Most historians agree that Portuguese-born Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo was the first European to explore California. Sailing under the Spanish flag in 1542, Cabrillo hoped to find the Northwest Passage; instead, he found the California coast and claimed the new-found land for Spain. With his entrance into California, the course of California Indian history changed drastically. Traditionally, California Indians have been portrayed in history as a docile primitive people, who openly embraced the invading Spaniards and were rapidly subdued. This naive argument adds little to a sensible understanding of native history in California and undoubtedly is derived from crude feelings of racial superiority on the part of its advocates. The relationship between the Spanish and the Indians was not a peaceful co-existence. Rather, the history of California Indians is the story of an attempt to survive a series of invasions and the hardships that ensued. In 1579, an Englishman, Sir Francis Drake, sailed into California. Drake spent five weeks among the California natives and before leaving, he claimed the whole territory for the English Crown. He based his claim on the "right of discovery." Thus, within the first 40 years of European influence in California, two countries had claimed the land, and neither had acknowledged the rights of the natives who had resided on it for thousands of years. Other explorers of early California included Pedro de Unamuno in 1587, Sebastian Rodriquez Cermeno in 1595, and Sebastian Vizcaino in 1602-1603. However, no Europeans settled in California for nearly 200 years thereafter. On July 16, 1769, the Spanish founded the first mission in California. Father Junpero Serra, a Franciscan friar of the Roman Catholic Church, established the Carmel Mission, originally known as Mission San Carlos Borromeo, at Monterey Bay in 1770 (Chan and Olin 60). It was one of the chains of 21 missions built by the Franciscans between 1769 and 1823. These missions ultimately became the foundation for Spanish settlements in California. Spain's Indian policy at the time of the invasion of California was a mixture of economic, military, political, and religious motives. Indians were regarded by the Spanish government as subjects of the Crown and human beings capable of receiving the sacraments of Christianity. It was essential under 'missionization' that California Indians be 'reduced' into settled and stable communities where they would become good subjects of the King and children of God. Missionization required a brutal lifestyle similar in several respects to the forced movement of black people from

Wedding Planning Needs Assessment

Wedding Planning Needs Assessment CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Wedding is once-a-life event in peoples life. For most of families, they are willing to spend a considerable amount of money to ensure the wedding is organized as perfect as possible. According to Howard (2006), wedding today is a $70 billion business in U.S., and the average cost of wedding is $26,000 per couples. As a spinoff the larger discipline of event management, the business of wedding planning will provide business to a broad array of supporting industries, such as hotels, retails, and catering service. Comparing with the other personal events, such as birthday, anniversaries, wedding is more complicated, because it involves friends and families and a range of related service activities covering from catering to entertainments (Shone Parry, 2004). In order to make sure everything goes smoothly in the wedding day, most of the prospective couples would like to plan the wedding in sometimes year in advance. Both brides and grooms put much effort into the wedding preparation including the venue selection, honeymoon booking and dress design etc. However, not all of them have enough time and energy and knowledge in wedding planning to arrange everything themselves. They need someone to assist them in wedding planning, budget preparation, planning detail checklists, venue arrangement as well as onsite supervision and coordination on the wedding day. Wedding planners, the professional dealing with all the details of wedding, provide a one-stop service to potential couples by charging some considerable consultant fee (Wikipedia org, 2009). The role of the wedding planners is to save time, look after details, make couples dream come true, stay on the budget and save money. Wedding planners have become one of the outsourced labours in modern society (Blakely, 2007). With the rapid development of the society in the last decade, more and more couples prefer to go to college and start their own careers after graduation. Marriage is happening later in brides and grooms life (Mayling, 2002). This means couples have more disposable income to afford the wedding expenses; and they are more likely to look for some special unique wedding styles, such as theme wedding, green wedding etc., which probably involves different elements, such as ethic, religious custom, family tradition, class identity, regional practice and individual tastes and preference (Howard, 2006). As a result, wedding planners, who are providing professional advices and assistance to the couples from the moment of distributing the invitations, arranging the style of cake ceremony, table setting, and setting for banquet, are necessarily needed and developed dramatically (Markby, 2006). 1.2 Wedding in China In traditional Chinese culture, marriage was creating alliances between families. Therefore, it was strictly arranged by parents or elder people in families. Wedding should be planned strictly according to the customs. For example, people should choose a good year, a good month, a good day as well as a good time for wedding ceremony; and use â€Å"red† in the declaration for everything with the purpose of auspicious. Wedding is also one of the ways for Chinese families to present their social classes therefore the families are willing to spend a large mount of money on wedding, and much of which were supported by parents or relatives. Because of the reform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s, nowadays, the living standards in China have been dramatically increased. According to the China Statistic Yearbook 2008 (2009), the GDP per capita in Mainland China is increasing steadily and has reached 18,934 RMB in 2007. At the mean time, the social culture is becoming diversified. More and more Chinese people, especially the younger generation who have better education, began to accept the western culture. Most of the prospective couples would like to experience different types of weddings that can make their special day more measurable. For example, some people choose â€Å"white† wedding instead of traditional Chinese â€Å"red† wedding; some may prefer destination wedding instead of having wedding at home, which may require more time and professional planning and organizing throughout the wedding preparation. Therefore, wedding planners, as a new business in China, has developed rapidly during the l ast decade. According to the ministry of commerce of the PRC (2008), wedding service today has become a big business in China covering about 76 industries, such as matchmaking business, wedding planning as well as banquets, tourism industries etc. where the photographer has the highest profit that is above 30% while the wedding planner is 15%. The average expenditure for more than 3.7 million new Chinese couples in 2006 was about 126,600 RMB. Based on the statistics of Ministry of Civil Affairs of the PRC (2009), about 11 million couples got married in 2008 with the growth of 10.8% than 2007. All the statistics above show that wedding business in China has a huge market and potential. This research will focus on Pearl River Delta, the most economically dynamic region in southern part of China. PRD covers nine prefectures of Guangdong province including Guangzhou, Shenzhe, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Foshan, Huizhou, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing; and has become one of the leading economic regions and a major manufacturing center of China, which accounted for 10.2% of Chinas GDP. People in PRD have more purchasing power than the other region. The per capita GDP in PRD ranges from 35,700 to 79,600 RMB which is much higher than the national per capita GDP (HKTDC, 2008). Because of the advantages of its location and open-door policy, PRD became the first region in China which allowed the foreign investments. Thus, apart from the economic strength, people in PRD were influenced by the western cultures earlier than the other places of China. 1.3 Research problem statements Due to the low entry cost in the wedding planning business, the number of wedding planners has increased rapidly in China in the last decade. Generally, two to three persons having relevant planning experience can establish a wedding planning company with around 100,000 RMB investments in China. They just need an office for meeting with clients and an official blog or website for promotion. Despite of the rapid development of the wedding business, the service/product offered by the wedding planners is similar. Comparing with the wedding photo service business, there is a lack of leading brand in the wedding planning business. With the growth of income level and education level, the couples in China are becoming more and more demanding towards the wedding service/products and face a problem that how to choose a suitable wedding planners who can provide excellent service/product. Thus, from the supply side, identifying and satisfying the important and unfulfilled needs of prospective c ouples is one of the ways for wedding planners to differentiate their products from the competitors, and make success in the competition. However, there is few studies indentifying prospective couples needs or attitudes toward products or service of wedding planner in Pearl River Delta even though in Chinese mainland, nor research about how well the wedding planners in China is meeting the needs of prospective couples. Therefore, this study will focus on the following questions to find out the needs of prospective couples (demand side) towards the wedding planners in PRD 1) Whats the reason for couples hiring wedding planners? 2) Whats the factors affecting the selection of wedding planners? Reputation? Price? Or other? 3) Do the needs of prospective couples toward wedding planners in Pearl River Delta vary according to the different demographical characteristics? 1.4 Research objectives: To find out the needs of prospective couples when hiring the wedding planners in the Pearl River Delta; To investigate the relationship between the needs for prospective couples and the choice of product/service offered by wedding planners in Pearl River Delta Region; To investigate how the needs of potential couples are influenced by their demographic profiles; To make recommendations to the wedding planners in Pearl River Delta. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, the previous studies related to wedding, wedding planners as well as the consumer purchase behavior will be reviewed. 2.1 Nature of wedding From the view of sociology, Edward (1987) defined that weddings are rites of passage, which belong to the class of rituals that everywhere mark the transition of a person or persons from one status to another. Wedding therefore becomes a private and highly-personalized event in peoples life. Event is held for a purpose that brings people together to share an experience and produce a measurable outcome no matter public or private, commercial or charitable, celebratory or commemorative (Silvers, 2003). Shone and Parry (2004) defined the wedding, together with the other personal events (e.g. birthday or anniversaries), as a type of special events. Their phenomenon arise from leisure, cultural, personal or organizational objectives which are set apart from the normal activity of daily life and their purpose is to enlighten, celebrate, entertain or challenge the experience of a group of people. The characteristics of special events include personal interactions, ritual or ceremony, intang ible, fixed timescale, labor intensive, ambience and service, perishability as well as uniqueness. Getz (2007) also defined wedding as a form of planned events because it is held in venues that cater to individual and small-group clients which may require professionals or be entirely arranged by the participants. From this point of view, Getz (2007) believed that the wedding is a multi-meaning experience in both personal and social aspects, and it is can be considered as celebrations in which a theme and emotional stimulation are essential. Although, wedding is usually defined as a type of small or personal events, it is still an area lack of study and research compared with meeting, exhibition, incentives or other events. There is quite a few academic book or journal devoted to the planning and design of weddings, parties or other private functions. 2.2 Wedding planners 2.21 The nature of wedding planner Arranging an event is complicated as it involves different elements such as the specialist sets, props, customers for participants or guests, and all the range of support requirements from special effects and lighting to music and entertainment. Event management companies are increasingly common in the events business in the last decades, which have specialized in providing of the complete event by careful planning and management. People can enjoy a number of benefits of having an EMC including the expertise, ideas and experience they can draw on (Shone Parry, 2004). Shone and Parry (2004) found that although there are some major companies in the event business, there are a wide range of smaller organizations and individuals that are willing to provide events-related service particular for the personal event market, which include the organization of parties, celebrations, weddings, anniversaries and many of similar events. Professional party planners or event organizers are those pr ofessional who deal with the nitty-gritty details of planning, organizing, operating and managing an event to ensure everything goes smoothly. According to Wikipedia (2009), wedding planners are the professionals who deal with all the details of the wedding, which includes planning, organizing, operating and management, to ensure everything goes smoothly and correctly. Ellis-Christensen (2008) defined that wedding planner as an event professional whose responsibility is not only to plan a memorable wedding, but also to give some professional advices to the couples including the venue selection, equipments preparation etc. They usually act as a wedding advisor, coordinator, supervisor, financial planner and mediator during the wedding (Brush Creek Weddings, 2008). Peters (2007) also stated that the range of service offered by wedding planner is widely. Some may prefer to offer consulting service only while some may prefer to provide comprehensive wedding package. At the meantime, Peters (2007) also pointed out that the global trend of the wedding business has been toward offering total coordination of the entire blessed even t from the beginning to the end, which includes identifying the needs of new couples, budget preparation, planning detailed checklist, venue arrangement, identifying the professionals (e.g. florists, photographers etc.) as well as on-site supervision and coordination on the wedding day. The consultant fee varies widely depending on different locations or different packages. The consultant fee may be higher in larger cities where disposable income of couples is higher than the other places. 2.22 The requirements of a wedding planner Having a strong organizational skills as well as an eye for details are necessary and basic requirements for a successful professional meeting planner because meeting process is both comprehensive and meticulous. Moreover, meeting planners must have the ability to work successful under pressure, to react calmly to constant change, and to make quick decisions (OBrien Shaw, 2002). Howard (2006) stressed that wedding planning is highly customer oriented as most of the couples are looking for special, unique and memorable wedding. Ethic and religious custom, family tradition, class identity, regional practice, and individual tastes and preferences certainly all played a role in shaping wedding consumption. Peters (2007) suggested that good communication skills, good organizational skills as well as good interpersonal skills are very essential for being a successful wedding planner, because wedding planners act as a middle person who deals with both clients and suppliers. The appearance of the professional wedding organization was an important benchmark in the rise of wedding planner business, indicating that wedding planning service today are more and more professional. These professional organizations help wedding planners naturalize particular customs and practices on a potentially national scale by sharing etiquette and customs. They provide some training course for wedding planners. Getting a certificate from professional organization has became one of the evidences for professional and made the customer confident with the service quality. Additionally, the organization also centralized and rationalized a consultants business, providing important resources and information regarding the markets as well as the trend (Howard, 2006). 2.23 Demand of wedding planners Wedding is an important event in peoples life that many people are willing to organize by themselves on the small and more intimate scale. However, not all of them have the time and wish to expend the effort on doing so and happier to pay a professional to come along and deal with all the details of planning, organizing, operating and managing to ensure everything goes smoothly (Shone Parry, 2006). According to Blakely (2007), the supply of commercial service increases dramatically along with the growth of demands for family jobs. Wedding planners are a form of outsourced labor in the modern society. These jobs which are transported from home to the public marketplace are responding to the time crunch produced by work-family conflict. From this point of view, Blakely defined wedding planners as commercial substitutes. Besides, Edwards (1987) conducted a research to examine the relationship between the weddings commercial development and its nature as a rite of passage. He found that the reason of the success of the wedding business was the convenience offered by the wedding planners and the demand from consumers for larger and more sumptuous celebrations. Consumers were looking for a wide range of wedding-related service (one-stop service) through a single organization. 2.4 The trend Firstly, the wedding today tends to be more customized than before. According to Hensdill (1996), because of the cultural exchange among the global village, traditional wedding customs are giving way to the trends of Western societies. Some new styles of wedding exist, such as theme wedding, destination wedding and green wedding, because more and more couples are looking for unique wedding. Destination wedding is a new wedding style that a couple decides to hold their wedding in a location where neither one of them resides (Daniels Loveless, 2007). There are several top destinations for wedding in the world, such as Caribbean, Las Vegas, Hawaii as well as Maldives. Generally, some special theme may be adopted into the destination wedding. For example, hotel in Las Vegas has organized Italian-style wedding for wedding couples (Stratton, 2001). Moreover, the destination wedding often merges into the honeymoon (Daniels Loveless, 2007). Secondly, the internet and e-commerce has shaped the modern wedding consumption and gave it a new immediacy and flexibility. As a result, the wedding planners can target different segments of the bridal markets through developing website that advertised their goods and services and allowed consumers to make agreement or shop directly through their online site (Howard, 2006). 2.2 Consumer purchase behaviors toward wedding â€Å"Consumer behavior is defined as the behavior that consumers display in searching form, purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services that they expect will satisfy their needs. It focuses on how individuals make decisions to spend their available resources† (Schiffman Kanuk, 2007). 2.32 Factors affecting consumer purchases As people are willing to devote time and effort to the ritual occasions like Christmas and Thanksgiving, some researches regarding the types of purchases associated with ritual occasions have been conducted by researchers in consumer behavior (Lowery, 1994). According to some market analysis, consumer purchase behavior is strongly influenced by social, cultural and individual characteristics. a) Social factors According to Schiffman and Kanuk (2007), consumer behavior is influenced by two major groups, namely the reference group and families. â€Å"A reference group that is perceived as credible, attractive, or powerful can induce consumer attitude and behavior change† (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2007) Based on the traditional family life cycle, the prospective couples belong to the stage II, honeymooners, who have available a combined income that often permits a lifestyle that provides them with the opportunities of more indulgent purchasing of professions, which means that the honeymooners are happy to accept the professional products and service and willing to pay more money for them as they pursuit high quality of life. The reason hidden behind may be because they have more disposable income and more free time for themselves before the born of young children. Additionally, for the newlyweds, the advice and experience of other married couples (e.g. parents or friends) are likely to be important when they start-up their expenses to establish a new home (Schiffman Kanuk, 2007). â€Å"For many consumers their family is their primary reference group for many attitudes and behaviors. The members of a family assume specific roles in their everyday functioning; such roles or tasks extend to the realm of consumer purchase decisions. Key consumer-related roles of family members include influencers, gatekeepers, deciders, buyers, preparers, users, maintainers, and disposers. A familys decision-making style is influenced by its lifestyle, roles, and cultural factors.† (Schiffman Kanuk, 2007). Different social classes have different preferences in clothing, home decoration and leisure activities as well as saving, spending and credit habits. Based on the market study by Brides magazine, 20% of the buyers of the wedding products identified themselves as buyers of Brides magazine who were mainly middle class women employed in white-collar, professional and technical fields and had higher medium annual income, when combined with their future husbands. This means that the bride had more control over future consumer decisions that the couple would make (Howard, 2006). Another research about the division of wedding labor and its meaning for couples by Sniezek (2005) indicated that women complete the a disproportionate amount of wedding work just as women do more of kin-work, housework, childcare and managerial family work. He also pointed out that couples were not likely to label the unequal division of labor as unfair which may potentially put the relationship in a state of conflict. From this point of view, his statement highly support Blakelys study (2007) which stated that the wedding planning businesss targeted market is modern career women. Blakely also used the case study of wedding planning to confirm Hochschilds thesis (2003) that feminism plays and important ideological role in the expansion of the commodity frontier. However, after comparison of the emphases that brides and grooms place on artifacts selected for use in their weddings and reception, Lowery (1994) found out that the brides participating in the focus group had no difficulty describing artifacts that were important to them; while grooms had greater difficulty. They also suggest that the emergence of traditional or modern gender roles in wedding planning is partially determined by the attitudes of the bride and groom toward these roles. This is also proved by Schiffman Kanuk (2007) that wedding purchase is a joint-decision in the family where the couples may play different roles in the decision making procedure. b) Cultural factors â€Å"Culture is the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to regulate the consumer behavior of member of a particular society.† (Schiffman Kanuk, 2007) When explaining how culture affects the consumer behavior, Schiffman and Kanuk (2007) indicated that all phases of human problem solving are directed and guided by culture, which includes various ritualized experiences and behaviors. For instance, in practice, rituals accompany with people throughout the human life cycle form birth to death, including a host of intermediate events such as confirmation, graduations and marriage. Besides the culture, subculture also plays an important in consumers behavior which includes nationality, religion, geographic, location, race, age and sex. For example, when comparing the husband-wife decision making between United States and China, Schiffman and Kanuk (2007) found out that there were substantially fewer â€Å"joint† decisions and more â€Å"husband-dominated† decisions for many household purchases in China. Even in the same country, another research showed that in larger city like Beijing, couples were more likely than rural co uples to share equally in purchase decisions. c) Individual factors Apart from the social and cultural factors which affecting the consumer behavior, individual factors play an important role when people make decision (Dholakia, 1979). Schiffman Kanuk (2005) explained the influences of the individual factors through several categories: motivation, personality, perception, learning as well as attitudes. As a driving force within individuals that force them to take actions, motivation is produced by a state of uncomfortable tension unsatisfied needs. Liking to our topic, hiring the wedding planner may be motivated by the needs of couples, such as lack of time for preparation, looking for professional service etc. Personality determines and reflects how a person responds to his or her environment. Generally, people are looking for the balance between the perceived self-image and their behavior including the purchasing products or service. Some may prefer innovative wedding style (e.g. destination wedding, green wedding) while the other may choose trad itional wedding. Moreover, each individual has its own process when he or she selects, organizes and interprets stimuli into a meaningful and coherent picture of the world. This process is highly subjective and is based on what the consumer expect to see. There are several factors that can influence the perception including physical appearance, stereotypes, halo effects, irrelevant cues, first impressions, and the tendency to jump to conclusions. 2.3 Theoretical foundation- Consumer decision making process This research is based on consumer decision making process, which is one of the theories of consumer behavior. Decisions are about the selection of an option from two or more alternative choices. According to Kotler, Bowen and Makens (2006), consumer decision process consists of five essential stages: 2.31 Need recognition From the moment that the consumer recognizes a problem or need, the consumer buying process starts. The consumers needs can be stimulated by both internal and external factors. Advertisements, word-of-mouth, social cues from families, friends and anyone within the families can influence the customers need recognition. In the case of wedding planner, potential couples, their internal stimuli probably is lacking of time for preparation, looking for some unique and special wedding while the external stimuli may be the advertisement in the internet, the promotional events held by wedding planners, especially by the friends or families who have previous experience. 2.32 Information search Searching information about their needs or problems is the second step of buying process. How much information a consumer looks for will depend on the strength of the drive, and the amount of initial information, the value placed on additional information. Linking to the wedding planners, couples will take some time for information searching. This is a stage that couples can decide if they would like to hire a wedding planners or if the products/service offered by wedding planner can satisfy their needs. 2.33 Evaluation of alternatives After searching the relevant information, customers will use the information to arrive at a set of final brand choices. At this stage, potential couples may set up a personal comparison system through different attributes such as reputation, price, theme etc., in order to identify which would be the most ideal brand. 2.34 Purchase decision Subsequently, consumer will buy the most preferred brand based on their evaluation in the previous stage. This is the stage that potential couples choose which brand, what kind of services and check if the product/service is available. This is also the stage that potential couples decide if they would like to hire a wedding planner or not. 2.35 Post-purchase behavior Based on the performance of the service/products, the final stage determines whether the consumer satisfy the service/products or not. 2.4 Summary After reviewing the previous studies related to wedding and wedding planners, we can find out that most of the studies were conducted in the developed countries such as U.S or United Kingdom, while there is a blank area regarding this field in China. Moreover, there is little study regarding the consumer purchase behavior towards the wedding planners conducted before. This research will based on the theories of consumer behavior to conduct three in-depth interviews to find out the reasons for potential couples hiring wedding planners; and the factors affecting their decision. Then, a quantitative research will be conducted to express the findings in statistical terms. CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY This research will be designed as an exploratory, quantitative, cross-sectional investigation of prospective couples needs towards the service/products offered by wedding planners in Pearl River Delta. 3.1 Research Design The advantage of semi-structure interviews is that it can allow issues to be explored deeply while questionnaire survey is that it can collect information from a large number of people and express the findings in statistical terms (Jennings, 2001). As limited study regarding the needs of potential couples towards the wedding service has been conduced in China so far, for this research, the important variables are not clear and still need to be defined. In order to develop a more reliable questionnaire to conduct quantitative research at the second stage, the first stage is to explore the important variables through a qualitative research. In-depth interviews with three potential couples will be conducted, which will facilitate the identifying the different requirements made by potential couples when selecting the wedding planners. These in-depth interviews are critical for the whole research because the finding of these interviews will be used to develop the questionnaire. 3.2 Questionnaire design There will be four main parts in the questionnaire. The first part will be the screening questions with the purpose of screening the invalid sample through some questions. Then, the second part will include some questions regarding the prospective couples attitudes towards the service/products offered by wedding planners in Pearl River Delta. Respondents are required to indicate their personal opinions on each statement on a five-point Likert type scale: 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. In the third part, open-end questions will be included in order to examine the personal experience and intention of hiring a wedding planner. Finally, there will be a set of questions regarding the demographic characteristics of the respondents, which will include gender, age, income level, marriage status, and education level. In order to explain the purpose of the research to the respondents, a covering letter will be attached to the questionnaire. The covering letter will include the information that how the sample was selected, the time will take to complete the survey, contact person for questions and assuring the response would be kept confidential and only used for statistical purposes. 3.3 Sampling method The survey will use a convenience sampling method. Total 200 questionnaires will be distributed in 5 major cities in PRD, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan and Zhongshan. Both non-married and married couples will be the target respondents in this survey. In order to ensure that the relevance of information collected can reflect the populations opinion, females under 20-year-old (Minimum age of legal marriage for female in China) or males under 22 (Minimum age of legal marriage for male in China) will not be counted as a valid sample. 3.4 Data Collection The data will be collected from 5 major cities in Pear River Delta including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan and Zhongshan, through different ways including face-to-face interviews and self-completion questionnaires. 3.41 Face-to-face interviews In order to have higher response rate, in the first phase, the face-to-face interviews with potential couples will be conducted at the wedding service companies when they are waiting for the service or outside the Marriage Registries in those cities. 3.42 Self-completion questionnaires At the second phase, self-completion questionnaires will be sent out through e-mail or online survey link, which allows the participants to complete the questionnaires at their own space and at a time convenient for them. In order to secure respondent rate, 2 weeks later, a follow-up letter will be sent out. 3.5 Pilot tests Before the distributing the questionnaires to the targeted respondents, a

Advanced Language Arts Essay

Although teachers might disagree, having students eating in class will help students and teachers stay on task and not worry about lunch time. Staff should let us students eat during class because students will be more focused, awake, and excited to learn and participate in class. If student were able to eat during class then they would be able to concentrate on the objective they are learning instead of thinking about â€Å"what’s for lunch?† One of the many reasons students should be able to eat in class is due to that us students don’t have enough time to wake up earlier and cook our self a nice meal. We barely have enough time to get ready for school in the mornings. It is even harder, trying to eat breakfast, if a student has to walk to school every day. All of the years that I’ve been attending school there have not been a year when teachers don’t emphasize how important eating breakfast is. We have heard multiple of times â€Å"the most important mean of the day is breakfast.† Another reason why students should be able to eat in class is because teachers are allowed to eat in front of us but we are not allowed to eat in class. We should have to follow the same rules. There has been a time where I go to school with any empty stomach and I always see a teacher eating a granola bar. Seeing them eat doesn’t let me concentrate and it gets me more hungry and at that time I just hold my stomach tight and hope my stomach doesn’t growl. My final reason why teachers should let students eat in class is because kids will have energy to participate in class. Shouldn’t all teachers desire to see all their students’ hands up eager to answer questions? If teachers would just give it a chance and let students eat in lass they would be participating in school activities and fund raisers. In conclusion, eating during class will help students concentrate and have energy.

Manage Quality Customer Service Essay

INTRODUCTION OF AET:- AET transport pty ltd. was founded in 1997 by Fred Bingle of Melbourne, Australia. AET’s first truck was a 1982 international Acco 1950c table/tray top which supplied coulee agro, a local Fertilizer Company with bulk fertilizers, chemicals and anhydrous ammonia. The newly formed company quickly achieved its goals through long hours and hard work. The AET transport company expended from three to eleven trucks in just over a year as their reputation continued to grow. In 2004 a successful land deal allowed the company to establish operations at its current location in Laverton. The AET transport company provides services in cross docking, temperature controlled storage and distribution of chemicals. Their focus on teamwork continues to satisfy new customer with effective supply chain management that consistently makes drivers punctual and more productive. AET transport takes pride in safety and compliance. Thoroughly trained employees certified in the transportation of dangerous good, the handling of hazardous materials and a zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol are just some of the mandatory programs that create a safer workplace for everyone. DEVELOP MISSION STATEMENT OF AET:- Goods will be delivered on time All goods will be delivered on proper condition. Suitable refrigeration will be provided. There will be complete cleanliness in trucks. Good communication with employees. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION STRATEGY:- EMPLOYEE REQUIREMENTS/ FACILITIES:- Proper training will be given to the employees regarding goods handling. Training regarding good communication and body language will be given or  provide to the employee. Navigator and Mel way will be given to drivers. There will be inductions for all employees at frequent intervals. Suitable breaks will be given for their mind relaxation. CUSTOMER REQUIRMENTS/FACILITIES:- Deliveries will be on time. Deliveries will be on proper conditions. There is a grievance handling process for customers. Extra facilities like refrigeration will be given to customers. Complaints will be handled in immediately. Customers will be charged reasonably. CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS: Delivery within VIC next day. Delivery outside VIC in maximum 2 days. Phone should be answered in 3 rings. All enquiries should be attended immediately. All goods will be delivered in proper conditions. Action will be taken immediately on complaint Procedures for implementation of these standards:- Reserve at least 8-10 trucks for VIC. Train people to answer phone in 3 rings. Staff given 2 weeks customer service standards. Mystery shopper will be hired. Training regarding communication to employees should be given. 7) Write a process of handling customer complaint and grievances:- Customer < manager < grievance handling committee

TV Violence essays

TV Violence essays As soon as viewers turn on the television news, they are bound to hear about incidents taking place that include some form of violence. So long as death sells, we can expect to see more of the same, states Sheryl Grana, associate professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota (Torr, 2006, p. 26). For example, the event could be a plane crash, a suicide bombing, a murder in a local community or an assassination. Very few if any positive items are reported. In addition, a large number of the weekly programs and movies involve some form of violent content. Many of these shows are scheduled during family hours, or when most children are still awake and watching TV. Controversy exists regarding the impact of such violence, especially on youth. Based on research conducted on the effects of media violence, it is still inconclusive whether seeing such programming on a regular basis causes greater youth aggression. Regardless if this cause-and-effect question still remains open to disc ussion, it does not mean that status quo should be accepted. Both the networks and parents have responsibilities to minimize the amount of television violence and encourage nonviolent behavior and caring. Felson (1996) notes that Watching violence is a popular form of entertainment. It is not unusual, for example, to see cars slowing down on the highway to look at an accident or a group of people watching a street fight as if it were the latest TV reality show. World Wrestling Entertainment is one of the most popular spectator sports in the U.S. as well as other countries worldwide. In other nations, people participate in fights between such animals as dogs or roosters or enjoy watching bullfighters. A great deal of literature, even fairy tales, is violent. It is no wonder that TV producers offer programming with extensive violence-it will increase their ratings. A U.S. National Television Violence Study analyzed the...

Culture of the 1930s and 1940s essays

Culture of the 1930's and 1940's essays Some of the following are the great sporting events during World War II. When the war started in 1939 Indiana was the NCAA was the nation college basketball champion. When the war ended in 1945 Oklahoma A the war because the NBA wasnt even started till one year after the war in 1946. The World Series champions in 1939 were New York Yankees. When the war ended in 1945, the Detroit Tigers were the champions. These were the important sporting events of this time period. The following are some of the fashions of the time period 1939-1945. The rural men of United States are wearing overalls and T-shirts when they are not dressed up. When they dress up the men are wearing white pants and white shoes with a nice shirt. The women are wearing big full skirts with big blouses. The city people are wearing a little different type of clothing. The man slacks and a buttoned down shirt. The women are wearing dresses that have a collar at the top of them. These are some of the fashions that existed during this time period. Gender roles during World War II were very different from other time periods before. Since there were so many men fighting across the world, factories needed workers so they hired women to work at the factories while the men were away. While men were gone, the women made all the decisions in the household unlike anytime before World War II. Also, older men that couldnt fight in the army were doing jobs that younger men usually did. Most women found their new independence very different from anything else. Women liked it and when the men came back, they didnt want to give it up so easy. This led to more women in the work force for Education in the 1940's was important, but not to the level of importance that it is today. ...

An Appreciation for Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Appreciation for Music - Essay Example Naturally, depending upon the type of music that I listen to, it can ultimately be used in a way not dissimilar to a drug. When I am having difficulty sleeping, I can easily find a piece or a series of pieces of music that reflect a very calming and soothing tone; thereby helping me to get to sleep. When I need a level of focus or would like to bring out key attributes of determination or courage, I can turn to music as a way to instill such emotions. In short, music and the feelings it inspires can act as a type of stimulus to achieve the given mood that I am in search of or to induce feelings that would otherwise not come to me in a natural way. Finally, as a function of the other two ways in which music affects me, the third way is an ultimate end in and of itself. A type of imaginative portrait that can be painted in any number of ten thousand different ways. Even though I may have heard the song, track, or album before, the fact of the matter is that the imagery that it engages me with as a function of the aforementioned emotion and mood alteration is something that can only be described to a fellow music lover. Whereas one can read a book and have the same thought process, look at a piece of art and evoke the same images or memories, when I listen to music, there is never a firm or defined way in which my brain imitates the imagery that is presented; it is ultimately different each and every time. As a function of all of these things, music has a profound effect on the way I view the world.

Experimental rig Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Experimental rig - Article Example The water flow duct is rectangular in shape and has the size 3500mm long by 1000mm wide and a depth of 1500 mm with a tank that has a capacity of 70 liters. The closed loop system is designed to hold water and the rectangular supply tank is connected to a centrifugal pump. Water is pumped by the centrifugal pump, from the supply tank, into the PVC pipes with 2 inches size, then through the transparent channel and into the supply tank again. The centrifugal pump is a two stage self-priming type and it has the capability to drive the water from the tank. The rectangular channel of the experimental rig has been designed and fabricated in such a manner that there are four transparent polycarbonate plates with dimensions ( which have been used to fabricate the channel. Acrylic was selected for fabrication of all sections of the channel, due to strength and transparency in addition to acrylic welding are soften the plate surfaces so they merge, and the molecules between the two pieces become one which gave much more strength to the channel and prevent leakages. Four pressure tabs are placed at the bottom surface of the channel used for the measurement of pressure drop. These tabs made the test sections where placed after two sections of in order to get full turbulence flow. The pressure drop of the rig has been taken for section. The experimental rig has a flow duct made from 2’’ PVC piping across the system. It has a plate cover that is 120 mm wide by 120mm height by 2000 mm long. This cover plate is made from polycarbonate material. The flow duct also has six 2’’ ball valves that are strategically located at the points of entry and exit of the water and are primarily to regulate the flow of water. The rig system is supplied with 240 volts of alternating current and in this regard, the experimental rig has 2’’ female sockets.